Big reduction in crime sees thefts brought down from 15 a week to just three and an offender arrested and jailed

Anthony David Earle who was arrested after stealing a bike and jailed for 16 weeks

A crackdown by the police on bicycle thefts in the resort has seen a ‘big reduction’ in the levels of crime.

Earlier this year officers issued advice to residents after a spate of thefts across the resort.

In January the Visiter told the story of Judith Martland, who had her bike, and her son’s stolen when thieves struck at their Birkdale home – and Penny Powell, whose daughters bike was taken from their Birkdale back garden

While Donna Robson told us how her son’s green BMX was taken from Victoria Park – the fourth to be stolen in two years.

Stepping-up patrols and acting on community intelligence, Southport Neighbourhood Inspector Darren Wilson, launched a plain clothes crackdown on the number of bike thefts – and is now telling would-be thieves ‘not to bother.’

Insp Wilson said that the number of bike thefts, across all offences, have been up to around 15 in one week, he told us that this figure has now dropped to around three.

He told us that so far they have had some great success – with one thief even being jailed – after riding straight into the hands of officers.

Anthony David Earle, 27, of Bootle, was arrested near the pier on Ocean Plaza on February 21 for the theft of a £700 bicycle - he was later jailed for 16 weeks for the theft.

Insp Wilson said that two officers were mingling with shoppers as part of a wider operation to arrest prolific bike thieves, shoplifters, and pick-pockets when they spotted Earle acting suspiciously.

They watched him walk towards several shops on the retail park before momentarily losing sight of him.

When they next saw him he was riding a blue mountain bike directly towards them – stopping Earle they found a pair of wire cutters in his jacket pocket.

Officers established that the stolen blue GT mountain bike belonged to an 18-year-old that had locked it up before his shift at Poundland.

Inspector Wilson said: "This was a highly satisfying arrest as Earle had brazenly cut the lock of this young man's expensive bike right outside his workplace and ridden it away.

“Clearly he did not care that the owner would have finished work and ended up distraught that something belonging to him had been stolen.

“This arrest shows that we take acquisitive crime in Southport very seriously and understand the impact that bike theft, shop lifting, pick pocketing and general anti-social behaviour in the town centre can have on decent, ordinary, law-abiding people.

“Plain clothes patrols are an extremely effective tactic in tackling the most prolific offenders. Those criminals can never be sure who is watching them and at what point they might be arrested.

“My message to them is: do not bother coming to Southport to commit crime. You will be arrested and you will be put before the courts."

The Editor

Andrew Brown

Andrew Brown is the editor of the Southport Visiter, Midweek Visiter, Formby Times, Ormskirk Advertiser, Skelmersdale Advertiser, and the Crosby Herald. Andrew was born and bred in Southport - a true Sandgrounder. Andrew was one of the founders of Southport's Charity Fun Fest.